20 November 2004	Saturday	07 Shawwal 1425

PESHAWAR, Nov 19: The World Health Organisation has urged TB patients in Fata to continue treatment for eight consecutive months to get cured.

"TB, EPI, HIV-Aids and malaria are the priority areas for the WHO because these are the main causes of the high rate of mortality in the country," said Dr Quaid Saeed, medical officer of the WHO, while elaborating on the TB control programme in Fata on Friday.

According to him, international donors, beside the WHO, were also providing funds to fight tuberculosis in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. Some 3,251 cases of tuberculosis were reported in seven tribal agencies in 2003, he said, adding that 87 per cent of those cases were treated successfully.

Giving the area-wise break-up of the incidence of tuberculosis, he said that 699 cases were reported in Khyber Agency, 672 in Bajuar Agency, 563 in Orakzai Agency, 423 in North Waziristan Agency, 406 in Kurram Agency, 265 in South Waziristan Agency and 223 in Mohmand Agency.

Dr Shahid Afridi, Assistant Director of the Communicable Diseases Control Programme in Fata, claimed that Fata had achieved the target of 'directly observed treatment short course' (Dots) - a programme in which patients took drugs under direct supervision of doctors.

Regarding the sources of funds for fighting tuberculosis, he said the government provided Rs320 million a year, besides the funds coming from the donors. While narrating the success story of Dots in Fata, Dr Afridi said that the programme was launched in Fata in April 2001 as a pilot project, but in the wake of the success of the programme it was extended to cover the entire Fata region.

He appreciated the commitment with which all the concerned -- the doctors, the patients and the public -- worked to make this programme a success. Giving the modus operandi of Dots, Dr Afridi said, "Under Dots, patients must take drugs for eight months continuously. This is the best way to fight the disease that was considered lethal only a few years ago."

He said the government had established 27 diagnostic and 166 treatment centres in the seven tribal units. Furthermore, training in Dots-based treatment of TB had been imparted to 269 medical officers and 389 paramedics, he added.